2026 Watch List: Next Up

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> The 2026 class will be one to remember here in Colorado. The freshman class will herald exciting perimeter creators across the board. These names add plenty of energy to their programs both on and off the court. While there is no doubt our watch list will continue to grow throughout the season, these names have caught our eyes. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='571018' first='Malia' last='Relford'] - Overland</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Relford has shown craftiness inside the arc as a scoring guard who breaks down the defense in a variety of ways. The guard is adept utilizing spin moves to create space from point of attack defenders, proving to have the balance necessary to finish those moves. Primarily getting buckets inside the arc, Relford has already unlocked scoring upside within the mid-range. Through notable efficiency out of pull-up jumpers and short floaters, Relford will be difficult to contain one on one. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='510713' first='Gracie' last='Ward'] - Holy Family</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ward has stepped into a steady role with 6-0 Holy Family, providing valuable minutes as a facilitating guard. The freshman can do a variety of things on the offensive end, from knocking down spot up jumpers to finish with physicality around the rim. Her vocal communication plays a crucial role with their second unit and helps reverberate the coach's dialogue. Ward will look to continue her growth as an off the dribble playmaker. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='471056' first='Emmy' last='Tecu'] - Mead</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tecu brings selflessness as an off-ball playmaker on the offensive end. She stays assertive attacking open lanes without the ball, constantly searching for openings from those backdoor cuts. The guard has been a valuable slasher off the bat, while already at a dependable baseline to build off of. Mead has rocketed off to an 8-1 start, following only a one point loss to Fruita Monument. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='835524' first='Lexi' last='Yi'] - Grandview</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The guard has been a steady distributor for Grandview and setting up her teammates for easy looks inside. Although Yi is a freshman, the guard plays with the composure of an upperclassman. She understands how to set up the bigs with easy interior looks or make the extra pass for the shooter. Yi does especially well roaming off the ball, finding opportunities to attack all over the floor without the ball. Grandview has gone 5-3 to start the season, featuring six out of state games against a competitive cluster of teams from three states.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='495838' first='Braeden' last='Johnson'] - Salida</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Johnson has immediately stepped into a large role at Salida, both in usage and shot volume. The 5'6 guard is a gunner out on the perimeter and has shown potential as a key playmaker within this group. As her efficiency rises from beyond the arc, Johnson will be a noteworthy guard out of Central Colorado for years to come. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='470968' first='Aziza' last='Abdur-Razaaq'] - Overland</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Abdur-Razaaq plays a key role already as a floor general within the halfcourt. The freshman guard has been especially confident in the fullcourt, utilizing a variety of combo moves to free herself up versus point of attack defenders. Should teammates make the backdoor cut, Abdur-Razaaq is prepared to find the open teammate. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->